Lilah

Reviews from a picky eater | KCMO

[barstuckss]

Barstucks.

It's no secret that this blog's name is a play on Starbucks. As a barista who doesn't like coffee, I figured I would drink my way around the menu to try and find something I like. After amassing many reviews of different drinks, I started to review restaurants and other stores as well. Here, I will share with you my adventures as I drink my way around the menu, and so much more.

[barstuckss]

Eating my way around the menu (4)

Bacon gouda sandwich

Bacon gouda and egg sandwich. This one always smells so good when I put it in the oven. It was actually the first breakfast sandwich I pushed myself to try.

The flavor on this one was a little less bland than the turkey bacon, but it wasn't exactly strong. The bacon was a little off-putting for me honestly. But I don't particularly like regular bacon, just turkey bacon. I also don't particularly like eggs. I do like gouda, though, so I have that going for me. It's definitely edible, and a good backup for me if the turkey bacon sandwich isn't available. Overall, 7/10. I'll probably eat it again at some point, and I won't be mad about it.

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Eating my way around the menu (3)

Turkey bacon sandwich

The turkey bacon sandwich is basically turkey bacon, an egg, and white cheddar cheese on what I assume to be an english muffin. It's pretty good.

The bacon could honestly be bigger, but it's prepackaged food, so my expectations aren't too high. I personally would prefer the cheese to be a more prominent flavor, but it is called the turkey bacon egg white sandwich for a reason. The egg is very prominent, yet I don't find myself minding. I don't particularly like eggs, as they make me kind of nauseous. But I don't mind it on this sandwich. It's overall a pretty bland flavor profile. My favorite. 10/10 from me.

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Eating my way around the menu (2)

Chocolate pistachio loaf

The chocolate pistachio loaf was supposed to be a seasonal offering, but it's still around and there doesn't seem to be any signs they're getting rid of it. It's by far one of my favorites on the menu.

If you like chocolate, this one is a great choice for you. I personally do not taste much pistachio in this at all, but one of my fellow baristas says the pistachio is all she can taste. So it is very subjective. I guess all food is. But anyways, I give the chocolate pistachio loaf a 10/10. If you warm it up, it feels like a nice comforting hug.

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Eating my way around the menu (1)

Strawberry matcha loaf

I figured if I was going to try every drink Starbucks has to offer, I should try all the food too. The strawberry matcha loaf has icing on the top, so it can't be warmed up, which is a shame.

The strawberry matcha loaf is extremely good. It's more heavy on the strawberry flavor than the matcha. I'm not a fan of matcha, but I love this loaf. It's sweet and strawberry deliciousness! I give it a 10/10. I wish I could say more, but there's not much to comment on other than that it's good and tastes like strawberries.

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Aioe: All in One Eatery (Zona Rosa) - 7/10

Aioe: All in One Eatery is an all-you-can-eat Asian cuisine restaurant. I went to the Zona Rosa location. One of the most unique things about this restaurant is that you order your food on an iPad at the table instead of with a server, and the food is delivered by a robot. There's little to no human interaction, which can be a pro or con depending on the person.

Food: The food was good. I ordered a few sushi rolls and some appetizers. Nothing spectacular, but pretty good. Worth it for the price. There is a very large selection of food from a few different Asian countries. I chose the standard menu, but you can upgrade to a different one. I elected not to upgrade because there were only a few items not featured on the standard menu, and I was not interested in any of them.

Drinks: If you order any sort of specialty drink it's an extra charge. I ordered a melon flavored Japanese soda. These are not made by the restaurant themself, though, so I feel like it doesn't contribute much to my rating. Either way, it was pretty good. A nice flavor, but a bit expensive for how much drink you get.

Service: As previously mentioned, everything is delivered to you by a robot (Bella). You order from an iPad at your table. The only time you will interact with a person is when you get seated and when they take some of your plates. That's about it. As I also previously mentioned, this can be either a pro or a con depending on the person. I personally do not prefer this, but I can see the appeal.

Overall, my experience was satisfactory. Nothing special, but still a good place to visit if you're looking to try something new, or something a step above grocery store sushi.

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Drinking my way around the menu (4)

Iced white mocha

This was a suggestion from a barista at my store. It's a very popular menu item, so I tried it both with the original recipe and with suggested modifications.

Original: For something called a white mocha, there was virtually zero white chocolate taste. It just tasted like a regular mocha to me. That's not to say there's no white chocolate flavor in there, but there wasn't any that I could taste. I give the original iced white mocha a 3/10.

Modified (4 pumps brown sugar syrup): I wish I could say I liked this one. I feel bad because it was a recommendation, but it really was not for me. I don't even know what to say it tasted like. It wasn't the worst coffee I've ever had, but certainly not the best. Still drinkable, though, so it earns a 5/10 from me.

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Drinking my way around the menu (3)

Iced brown sugar oatmilk shaken espresso

Wow, that's a mouthful. Anyways, this is also one I've tried both with and without modifications. The modified version was recommended by one of my fellow baristas as well, so it's safe to say it was created by a master.

Original: I did not love the original, but I'm also not a coffee person. One of the things about the IBSOSE (Iced brown sugar oatmilk shaken espresso) that I don't love is that you need to shake it yourself or mix it when you receive it. Otherwise it's just a weird and inconsistent mess. Now, if that's your vibe, I'm all for it, but it's not for me personally. I thought the IBSOSE was too bitter, even after stirring it. But again, I'm not a coffee person, so I'd overall give it a 5/10. It has potential.

Modified (1 shot of blonde espresso instead of 3, a splash of half&half, and 4 pumps of brown sugar syrup): A lot of modifications, but it's very worth it. It tastes so good. It's so easy to drink and it almost tastes like a horchata if you get it with cinnamon powder mixed in. I really love this drink, and I'll definitely be ordering it again. Plus it was recommended by a fellow barista, so that makes it extra special. It earns a 10/10 from me.

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Overflow Coffeehouse

A consistent favorite. Easy 10/10 with a few flaws that are made up for in other aspects.

Overflow coffeehouse in Liberty is one of my favorite places to go. I personally love the Nutella crepes and an iced London fog with oatmilk. The only drawbacks of this cafe is that it can get a bit crowded and loud, and the prices are a bit high, especially for crepes. However, it is 100% worth it to me because of the other great aspects of the cafe. It's a great treat when you can afford it.

Food: Everything I've had here has been absolutely delicious! Their crepes are so yummy! I love the Nutella, and the Nutella with strawberries. I don't tend to go for the savory crepes, but other people I've taken here have always said they're fantastic. I'll take their word for it. The pastries served are also amazing. Lots of good options, no matter who you are. A few protein items, some healthier versions of pre-existing things (pop-tarts, rice krispies, etc.), but it rotates.

Drinks: My go-to is an iced London fog with oatmilk. However, I've ordered lots of drinks from here and they're always good. There are a lot of seasonal drink options that rotate every couple of months. I'm a huge fan of the fall offerings, so I'm excited for those to come back in a few months. The only thing I don't love about the drinks is the Italian sodas. There isn't enough flavor to them for my tastes, but if you dislike the sweetness of most sodas, you might want to give them a try! The flavoring is very mild on those (in my opinion).

Service: Always very friendly staff! I've never had an issue here. There are a lot of toys and board games in the cafe for kids to play with, and they also have a lot of non-profits you can donate to.

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Drinking my way around the menu (2)

Caramel ribbon crunch frappuccino

This is one I already knew that I liked, but it would feel wrong not to include it. The flavor is incredibly sweet, but there is still a coffee taste to it. Definitely a great place to start if you don't like coffee but would like to (like myself). I have to give it a 10/10. It's always been a favorite of mine. The crunch at the bottom is always the best part of drinking it. It's delicious all the way through. From the satisfaction of the first sip to the crunchy reward at the end, the caramel ribbon crunch frappuccino is a masterpiece.

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Drinking my way around the menu (1)

Caramel Macchiato

This one was a recommendation from a friend (and one of my fellow baristas). I tried both the original, and a modified version of Starbucks' caramel macchiato.

The original was too bitter for my tastes. A bit less so than most other drinks, but still not quite sweet enough for me. I gave it a 6/10, with it gaining points for its potential.

The modified version (3 extra pumps of vanilla syrup, extra caramel drizzle) was much better for me. After mixing the drink together I found it very easy to drink. Sweet, but still tasted like coffee. Not AS sweet as a frappuccino, but sweet enough for me to drink. I gave it an 8/10 initially, but when I tried it again later I decided to move it to a 10/10.

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Urban Egg - 10/10

For today's eats I went to the Urban Egg in Liberty. Overall, I want to give this restaurant a 10/10.

This is a newer restaurant in my area. I've heard a lot of great things about it, and now I know it's for good reason. Very diverse menu and every item exceeded my expectations. Only con would be how busy it was, but that didn't prove to be an issue. Overall, a 10/10. Delicious food, great staff, and good drinks. I'd love to come back and try other offerings sometime.

Food: While I cannot speak for all of the menu, the strawberry cheesecake gourmet pancakes are absolutely stellar. I was blown away by the flavor when I took my first bite. The strawberry puree was nothing short of fantastic, paired with a deliciously sweet cheesecake sauce. I regret not taking a photo.

Drinks: I was really impressed with both the orange juice and the local honey lemonade. The honey was very prominent in the lemonade, which was a pleasant surprise. The orange juice was clearly freshly squeezed. It was sweet without being too tangy. There was a light pulp in the juice, and while I prefer pulp-free, it elevated the experience.

Service: The service at this restaurant was also amazing. Our server was very friendly and attentive despite it being very busy. It was 8am and the place was packed, yet we were seated instantly on arrival. Our server was also quite knowledgable about the menu. One of my party members had a few questions about the menu and she was able to answer questions about ingredients, taste, and give recommendations flawlessly. The food came quickly as well, giving us a great speed of service.